1. SOIL
Esther Bengio & Catherine
Velasquez

2. Soil
Formation
 Components
 Profile
 Taxonomy


3. What is Soil?

Soil is a thin layer of material on the Earth’s
surface which consists of organic and
inorganic material
weathering rock
 decayed plant
animal matter

4. Soil Components
The Solid part consists of 45% mineral particles and 5% organic matter
The Liquid part consists of 25% water and nutrients
The Gas part consists of 25% of air

5. Soil Formation

6. Microorganisms


Earthworms:
 Structures the soil
 Increases fertility
 Decreases erosion
 Deepens the roots
Decaying of
microorganisms
 Makes the soil thick
and rich

7. Soil Characteristics

Three basic soil
types
Sand
Silt
Clay

8. Soil Characteristics
Clay
Silt
Sand

9. Soil Taxonomy

Characteristics
Texture
Looks
Feels

11. How does it affect Life on
Earth?

12. 
Soil is an important and dynamic
resource linked to everything around
us and performs many important
roles in sustaining life on Earth.

13. Important Roles of Soil



Soil Provides food and
biomass production
Soil controls and regulates
environmental interactions
Soil stores gasses such as
CO₂ which maintains the
balance of temperature &
Moisture of our Earth

14. Continuation…




Soil also provides valued habitat
Soil also provides a platform for
buildings and roads
Soil provides raw materials such
as:
 Sand, gravel, stones and ore
for buildings
 Moss and coal for heating
Soil also preserves cultural
and archaeological heritage

15. Problems with Soil

Soil erosion is caused by wind and rain
RILL
SHEET

16. Continuation …
GULLY
Mountains

17. Continuation…

The clearing of land for farming, residential,
and commercial use can quickly destroy soil

18. Soil Preservation


Planting & Vegetation
Tilling Farming Method

19. Continuation …



Watering the Soil
Terracing
Salinity Management

20. Summary
Soil characteristics, components and the
formation properties affect many processes in
the soil that make it suitable for agricultural
practices. Texture, structure, and formation and
retention of water, air and solids in the soil, are
influential to plants growth and organisms.
Therefore, understanding and recognizing soil
properties and their connections with one
another is important for making the right
decisions regarding soil use and management.

21. Conclusion
Why did the gardener plant his
money?

22. References
1.
Mcknight, Tom L., and Darrel Hess. Physical Geography A Landscape
Appreciation. 9th ed. N.p.: Prentice Hall, 2007. Print, October 14, 2013
2.
Schmidt, Lisa. "Soil." Schmidt Physical Geography. Wiki Space, n.d. Web,
http://schmidtphysicalgeography.wikispaces.com/, October 10, 2013.
3.
"Soil Moisture Active Passive." Jet Propulsion Laboratory. NASA, n.d. Web,
http://smap.jpl.nasa.gov/, October 11, 2013
4.
"Soil." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 14 Oct. 2013. Web. 14 Oct. 2013.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soil, October 24, 2013
5.
United States. National Resources Conservation Service. Department of
Agriculture. United States Department of Agriculture. N.p., n.d. Web.
http://websoilsurvey.sc.egov.usda.gov/App/HomePage.htm, November 10, 2013